Solano County's congressmen pleased with Obama's speech

In an attempt to meet a fractured economy head-on and make the needed adjustments to get it back on track, President Barack Obama on Tuesday emphasized in his State of the Union address the importance seeing beyond political differences and challenged Congress to take the steps necessary to bridge the gap.

Area representatives are taking a stance firmly behind him.

"President Obama gave a very strong and optimistic speech about our country, but made equally strong challenge to Congress to stop blocking efforts to rebuild the middle class and move America forward," said U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Solano, regarding the president's third address on the country's state of affairs since being elected in 2008. "I give this speech and its message to all Americans very high marks."

Moments after the completion of the speech, Miller held a telephone town hall meeting with constituents in the 7th District of California, in which callers were asked to weigh in on the president's speech -- approximately 70 percent siding with Miller in believing Obama was spot-on.

"The president has done a lot to help the economy," Miller said before adding that, "If Congress wants to stop the president from doing anything, it makes it very hard to be successful."

"This country can't afford to not come together and take advantage of all the strengths America has to offer," Miller emphasized, calling the recession "the worst economic downturn since the (Great) Depression."

Fellow Congressman John Garamendi, D-Solano, was in agreement when reached by phone following the address, calling it "excellent."

He credited Obama's emphasis on job creation and rebuilding the middle class through maintaining and strengthening infrastructure, renewable energy, pushing for fairness in tax policy and maintaining the country's military strength.

Garamendi said he was "pleasantly surprised" with the way Obama ended his address, reminding his audience of the country's greatness as a nation.

"The destiny of America is ahead of us if we can work together," he said.

Garamendi added that the changes Obama called for are within our reach as a country if partisanism can be put aside and "If Republicans can work with Democrats and vice versa."